Cuff button



E. F.- WILDE CUFF BUTTO-N Apr. 3,

Filed July 14, 1922 J51 Here for: 158711 wa e,

Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

UNITE ST EBEN' F. WILDE, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB, TO THEBAER & WILDE COMPANY, OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

CUFF Burrow.

Application filed July 14,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EBEN F. WILDE, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and resident of Attleboro, in the county of '1Bristol and Stateof Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in CufiButtons, of which the following is a specification.

This invention concerns cuif buttons and =relates more particularly tocuff buttons of the separable type comprising two members each having ahead and a radial flange connected. by a suitable shank, the flanged endof one member having a socket or female part for engagement with a studor male part projecting from the flanged end of the other member.

It is usual for convenience in manufacture to make such buttons ofrelatively soft material and thus the stud or male part offers littleresistance to wear, its holding power rapidl diminishing with use. Inthe ordinary form of snap button the opposing faces of the flanges areconvex so that the combined thickness of the flanges is undesirablygreat and a substantial crack appears between their edges, while theconvex faces of the flanges tend to roll or rock on each other when thebutton parts are subjected to transverse pressure, causing undue wear ofthe stud and tending to withdraw the latter from its socket.

Principal objects of the invention are to provide a separable cufl'button having a stud member of wear-resistant, material such for exampleas steel, together with simple means for positioning and retaining suchstud relatively to the part'upon which it is mounted, and also toprovide meeting surfaces for the button parts of such a character as toavoid any substantial tendency of the parts to rock relatively to eachother.

In the accompanying drawings there is illustrated by way of example, apreferred 4 arrangement of parts whereby the above objects may beobtained.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the button forming the subj cot-matter ofthe present invention, the separable members thereof bein shown asseparated;

ig. 2 is a similar view, but showing such members as united;

' Fig. 3 is a composite view showing, in

edge elevation and in fragmentary front elevation, respectively, a capor retaining plate 1922. Serial No. 575,009.

fo'r securing the stud element in operative posltion';

b Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the stud mem- Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of the shank element of themale member of the button;

Fig. 6 is an edge elevation of a head-supporting plate, cooperable withthe shank member shown in Fig. 5; p 1

Fig. 7 is a composite view showing, in edge elevation and in fragmentaryfront elevation, respectively, a head member cooperable with the plateshown in Fig. 6;

Fig. '8 is an edge elevation of a socket plate forming a part of thefemale member of the button;

Fig. 9 is a front elevation, and Fig. 10 is a side elevation of theshank element of such member;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation'of a head supporting plate cooperable withthe shank member of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12'is a composite view showing, in edge elevation and infragmentary front ele-' vati'on' respectively, a head cooperable withthe supporting plate of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary diametral section on a line such as I-I of Fig.2. I

Referring to the drawings,- the letters A and B respectively indicategenerally they male and female members of the separable button, suchmembers having the shank portions 1 and 2, respectively. Referring moreparticularly to Figs-3 to 7 and 13, the shank 1 of the male member isshown as provided. with a dished flange 3 outstanding from one of itsends. Cooperating with such flange is a cover or retaining plate 5 ofannular form, having a central opening 6 and a flanged edge portion '7,such edge portion, when the partsare in operative position, being bentbackwardly as indicated at 7 ,Fig. 13, to enclose the peripheral edge ofthe flange 3, thereby interlocking such flange and plate, and holdingthe parts-in fixed I relationship.

Reference character C, Fig. 4, indicates, generally a. stud elementemployed in the construction of member A. This stud member is preferablydrawn'from sheet steel, and comprises a shankjportion 1O having-a basemember at one end, including a radial flange 11, and having abulboushead 12 at its'opposite' end. Thishe'ad is of a diameter such astojpermitit-to pass through the opening 6 of cap5, the flange .11,however, being of larger diameter. The base of the stud is furnishedwith a shoulder 13, and when the partsare assembled, the edge of theopening 6 in plate 5 engages this shoulder, thus centering the studrelatively to the shank 1, while the flange portion 11 engages the innersurface of the flange 3, as indicated at 14. Preferably the shank member1 is of tubular construction, the dished flange 3 with the plate 5forming a cavity or chamber 4. In assembling the stud and the retainingcap or plate 5 with the flange 3, sutficient pressure is exerted inuniting the parts to press the plate 5 inwardly with respect to thecavity 4, so that the'outer surface of such plate is concave, asindicated at 15, thus substantially reducing the size of cavity l andcausing the edge of plate 5 surrounding opening 6 to bear against theshoulder 13. The pressure exerted in uniting the parts is also usuallysuflicient to dish the outer portion of the flange 11 of the stud so asto cause it to seat firmly against the inner surface of flange 3, thestud thus being securely clamped between the cover, plate and the flange3. The stud 1 is provided with a rib 16 and a sleeve portion 17, thelatter being of a' diameter to pass through a central opening 18 in theplate 19 and when assembled with such plate being flanged over againstthe concave face of the latter. A head 20, of any desired ornamentalcharac'ter, and having a flanged edge 21,is secured to the supportingplate 19 by bending the edge 21 inwardly over the edge of suchsupporting plate.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 13, the member B of the button comprises thetubular shank 2 having the outstanding and substantially radial flange22. A cover plate 23 is associated with this flange, such cover platehaving a. central opening 24: defined by'a tubular flange or sleeve 25,and having a peripheral flange 26 which, in assembling the cover platewith the flange 22, is bent backwardly as indicated at 26, Fig. 13, soas to overlap the edges of such. flange, thereby fixedly uniting theparts. The flange 22 is of dished form, thus providing a relatively deepchamber 28. the outer surface. ofthe plate 23 being of convex curvatureas indicated at 29. The convexity of the plate 23 is'coinplemental tothe concave curvature of the plate 5 so that such parts closely interfitwhen assembled, thus .preventing any tendency of the members A and B-torock or tip relatively to each other, while at the same time thecombined thicknessof such parts is reduced and the crack usuallyappearing at the point of union of such members is -.substantially.eliminated. Theicavity 28 provides space fora spring 30, preferably of!)form, and comprising the oppositely disposed end portions 31 and 32which project into slots 35) formed in the opposite walls of the sleeve25. The spring elements 31 and 32, as thus arranged. obstruct thepassage through the sleeve 25 to a certain extent and are adapted toengage the stud element C below the head 12 thereof whereby to securethe members A,

in operative position. This spring 30 may be of steel or other suitablematerial and is of suflicient resiliency to permit the head 12 of thestud to be forced into its socket or to be withdrawn therefrom whendesired. The shank member 2 is also provided with a shoulder 33 and asleeve pol tion 3 1, the latter being adapted to pass through anopening- 35 in a plate 36 and to be flanged over against the rearsurface of such plate, thus holding the assembled parts in properrelationship. Associated with-the plate 36 is a head 37., of any desiredmaterial and provided with a peripheral flange 38. which. when assembledwith the part 36. is bent inwardly over the edges of the latter.

The button as thus formed is of very durable construction. as the studmember may be made of hard and wear-resistant m aterial, such forexample as steel. while the remainder of the button may be formed of theusual relatively soft alloys commonly employed for such purposes. Thearrangement employed for holding the stud in proper position accordswith the use of complemental engaging surfaces of concave and convexform for the purpose of preventing relative rocking or rolling of thebutton parts as the base of the stud as above de scribed is readilysecured within the rela-.

tively shallow cavity behind the concave plate 5 while the deeper cavitybehind the convex plate 23 serves to enclose the spring 30 or.

its equivalent. Although under some ciroumstances it might bedesirableto arrange the stud to project from the convex surface, it;ispreferred. to combine the stud with the member having the concavesurface for the reasons above pointed out.

lVhat- I claim and. desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the UnitedStates is.

1.. A cuff button having male and female members. the male memberthereof comprising a body portion having a head at one end and a studmember fixedly embedded in said body portion at its other end andprojecting therefrom, said stud member being of drawn. sheet steel.

2-. A cuff button having male member comprising a shank of relativelysoft material having a. head fixed at one end thereofa hollow stud ofdrawn she I steel ranged coaxially with the shank at the opposite endthereof. and means for fixedly securing said stud in operativerelationship to the shank. A

3. Acufl button having separable members, one of said members comprisinga shank having a head at one end thereof terminating at its other end ina substantially radial flange, a stud member provided with a flange of adiameter smaller than that' of saidfir'st flange and resting against thelatter, and means for fixedly securing said flanges in operativerelationship.

4. A cuff button having a male member comprising a tubular shankprovided at one end with a fixed head and at the other with anoutstanding flange, a plate provided with a central opening having itsouter edge fixedly secured to the edge portion of said flange, and awear-resistant stud member having a head portion projecting through theopening in said plate and a base portion of a diameter larger than thatof the opening fixedly clamped between the flange and plate.

5. A cuff button comprising separable members of relatively softmaterial, eachhaving a head-at one end and being provided at their otherends with complemental engaging surfaces, one of said surfaces beingconvex and the other concave, and an independent stud member ofwearresistant materialfixedly secured to one of said members and projecting axially from one of said surfaces, the other of said surfaces havingan axial socket opening for the reception of said stud member and aspring associated with said socket opening for resiliently engaging thestud.

6. A cuff button having separable members each comprising a tubularshank provided at one end with a fixed head and at the other with ahollow flange, a stud of wearresistant material having a base fixedlysecured within the hollow flange of one of said members and having ahead projecting axially therefrom, and a spring arranged within thehollow flange of the other member, said springcooperating with the studmember to hold the separable members in operative relationship.

7. A cuff button having separable members each having a shank providedat one end with a fixed head and at the other with a radially extendingflange, annular caps secured to the respective flanges. one of said capshaving a convex outer surface and the other having a concave surfaceengaging therewith when the members are operatively positioned, a studhaving a base member fixedly secured between the concave cap and itscooperating flange and a head projecting through the opening in saidcap, and resiliient means interposed between the other cap and flangeand constituting retaining means for engagement by said stud.

8. A cuff button comprising separable members, each having a fixed headat one end and complemental engaging faces at their other ends, one ofsaid faces being convex and the other concave, said surfaces beingconstructed and arranged closely'to engage andinterfit when the partsare operatively associated, an independent stud member of wear-resistantmaterial fixedly protruding from the concave face, the convex facehaving an axial socket opening therein for the reception of said stud,and a spring member associated with said socket opening and engageablewith the stud for retaining the separable members in operativerelationship.

9. A cuff button comprising two separable parts, each having a shankterminating at one end in a fixed head and at the other in a dishedflange, said flanges being provided with cover members of convex andconcave curvature respectively constructed and arranged closely tointerfit with each other wear-resistant stud having a base flangefixedly secured in the relatively shallow cavity behind the concavecover member and having a head protruding axially from the concavesurface thereof, and a U-shaped spring having substantially parallelarms arranged within the relatively deep cavity behind the convex covermember, said parallel arms engaging opposite sides of the stud forholding the parts in operative relationship.

10. A cuff button having separable members each having a head at oneend, one of said members comprising a shankhaving a radially extendingflange, a cap secured to the fian e and provided with a central opening,the material of the cap extending inwardly at the opening to form atubular socket, and a stud projecting from the other of the members forengagement with the socket.

11. A cuff button having separable members each comprising a shankprovided with a head at one end and having a radial flange at itsopposite end, an annular cap secured to each flange, one'of said capshaving a tubular member extending inwardly from its central opening andconstituting a socket. and astud'member projecting through the openingin the other cap for engagement with the socket, said stud member havingaflange fixedly-secured behind the last named cap.

12. A cuff button comprising separable members each having a fixed headat one end. one of said members having a headed stud at its opposite endand the other comprising a tubular socket for the reception of the stud,said socket having a slot in its wall, and spring meansnormallyprojecting inwardly through the slot and operative to engage thehead of the stud to oppose withdrawal of the same from the socket.

13. A cuff button comprising separable members, each having a head atone end, a wearresistant headed stud fixedly secured to one of saidmembers at the end thereof opp0- site to the head, the other of saidmembers having a housing provided With an axially extending tubularsocket for the reception of 5 the stud, the Walls of the socket havingoppositely disposed slots therein, and a U- shaped spring Within thehousing having its arms normally positioned within the respective slotsto engage the shank portion of the stud whereby to oppose Withdrawal ofthe 10 stud from the socket.

Signed by me at Attleboro, Massachusetts, this 12th day of July, 1922.

EBEN F. WVILDE.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1350,2344, grantedApril 8, 1923, upon the application of Eben F. Wilde, ofAttleboro,Massachusetts, for an improvement in Cuif Buttons, an errorappears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows:Page 8, line 3, claim 3, for the Word thereof read and;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that v the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Ofiice.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of May, A. D. 1923.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents.

